Header Install Help
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Header Install Help
Sup everyone. In my long quest to acquire lth for my c63, been looking before I even had the car, I've finally narrowed it down to 2. Benzworks and ARH. Benzworks is ultimately the best deal, but the desire for ARH still burns. Add that to the fact that driving about 6 hours to HB CA is very hard to arrange. Recently ive found some Catted ARH headers at a good/great price. Problem is im having a hard time finding experienced installers in the sac/bay area. Any help would be appreciated. PMs welcomed for obvious reasons. California sucks. Thanks.
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
Sup everyone. In my long quest to acquire lth for my c63, been looking before I even had the car, I've finally narrowed it down to 2. Benzworks and ARH. Benzworks is ultimately the best deal, but the desire for ARH still burns. Add that to the fact that driving about 6 hours to HB CA is very hard to arrange. Recently ive found some Catted ARH headers at a good/great price. Problem is im having a hard time finding experienced installers in the sac/bay area. Any help would be appreciated. PMs welcomed for obvious reasons. California sucks. Thanks.
#3
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2012 P31 C63 Coupe Trackrat, 2019 GLE63S Coupe Beast
Make sure they are very good friends. Because mine would’ve stopped helping me by hour 6 if they weren’t.
#4
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Unfortunately for me most of my friends are drunk, lazy, and have no mechanical skills. They will not likely sacrifice their weekend of beer, carne asada, and screaming at the sky when their song comes on. So I'm outa luck there.
#7
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#10
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2015 E63S, 2018 E63 EDITION 1, 2000 CIVIC SI EM1
If they are not MBH headers than they don't belong on the vehicle... This job is not a easy task what so ever and is a pain in the *** to get all the bolts in without dropping the motor. I would only have a experienced tech work on the vehicle.
#11
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Care to elaborate on this statement. I have dug through threads after threads, and it seems that ARH is a pretty good contender for a NA powered car. MBH for supercharged cars. Build quality seems to be on par. Consensus seems to be that you can't go wrong with either brands.
#12
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Care to elaborate on this statement. I have dug through threads after threads, and it seems that ARH is a pretty good contender for a NA powered car. MBH for supercharged cars. Build quality seems to be on par. Consensus seems to be that you can't go wrong with either brands.
#13
MBWorld Fanatic!
Sounds like a fanboy statement. MBH are great and put up top numbers but in the trap MHP is king. Na of course, and thats how i plan to keep this car. These are an upgraded design to the original MHP. In fact for a while they were regarded as the V2. The benzworks setup is a good incognito setup at a great price. I was/am going to have them mate them to stock mid pipes to keep everything looking stock, for the most part. But as of now its still up in the air. Keep the input coming fellas.
#14
Absolutely no need to drop motor, but yes, time and experience will be crucial for a solid install. Some exhaust heatshields may need cutting, bending, or uninstalling.
Advise to:
Replace existing exhaust manifold gaskets with new ones.
Get headers coated with a TRUE ceramic coating, especially if you will track car to reduce heat and increase exhaust gas scavenging. Personally can recommend Swain Tech's White Lightning.
One member recommends contacting shop foreman Barrett at Sonic Motorsports in Mountain View/San Jose area.
Best of luck
Last edited by MBNRG; 01-10-2018 at 10:52 PM.
#15
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MBNRG thank you for the help. I will contact the people you recomended. As for 1/4 miles, the top NA guys ran mhp headers. I am referring to the original c63 legends, dodger63 and dads c63, that still hold the top spots. Also there are more people running mhp/arh in the top 5 and top 10. If I am wrong may the guardian of the times correct me.
#16
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'04 E55 (Gone but not forgotten), '13 C63 P31 (RIP), another '13 C63 PP
Can you put headers on an M156 and have it run right without a tune? Do you already have a tune to load?
+1 on the ceramic coating too. I ceramic coat all aftermarket headers. Going from the stock log-style manifolds (which iirc are double-walled for noise) you will be increasing your under-hood temps.
+1 on the ceramic coating too. I ceramic coat all aftermarket headers. Going from the stock log-style manifolds (which iirc are double-walled for noise) you will be increasing your under-hood temps.
Last edited by G_Money; 01-11-2018 at 12:00 AM.
#17
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Some say yes. I personally wouldn't. I currently have ec v6. Havent sent jerry the money for update file because I still havent decided which way to go. But once I either find installer or figure a way to get to Huntington beach. The the header file will accompany me on the trip.
#18
Some say yes. I personally wouldn't. I currently have ec v6. Havent sent jerry the money for update file because I still havent decided which way to go. But once I either find installer or figure a way to get to Huntington beach. The the header file will accompany me on the trip.
I stupidly paid someone to do it and watched them it's the same as any header install just a bit more fiddly and a few more parts to remove and they needed access to the engine bay and underneath
when I remove mine to sell I will change them myself
#19
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2012 C63 Coupe P31
This is a very true statement. I installed MBH headers, midpipe, and x-pipe that I got from a forum member (thanks clk63cab!) over Thanksgiving weekend and had to finish up on the following weekend (good thing my C63 is not my daily). The hardest issue is the 4 top nuts on each stock manifold, with the driver's side being the biggest pain. With these top nuts, you are removing the nuts by feel and not by sight. What I mean by feel is one hand feels where the header stud is located and stays on the stud, then free hand brings the wrench or socket you are going to use. First hand helps guide your other hand to the nut. Make sure you have various ratcheting 11mm or 7/16" wrenches with swivel or articulating heads and fixed head ones. I bought these two 11mm long wrenches from Amazon:
It's easier to tighten the manifold nuts with LTH as there is more clearance between the runners as the tubes extend out from the flange and do not block the studs like how the stock log manifold does. I'm a mechanical engineer that wrenches a lot and found installing the headers on a C63 to be a major pain. Would I do it again?, probably as I like being self sufficient but thought during the install "why didn't I just pay someone to install these for me?" lol. Also, like other have said, ceramic coat the headers. I was going to go with Swain Tech but didn't feel like waiting 3 weeks and dealing with shipping my headers back and forth. I ended up going with Tech Line Coatings Turbo X Satin Black coating from a local powder coating shop, which took only a week to finish.
It's easier to tighten the manifold nuts with LTH as there is more clearance between the runners as the tubes extend out from the flange and do not block the studs like how the stock log manifold does. I'm a mechanical engineer that wrenches a lot and found installing the headers on a C63 to be a major pain. Would I do it again?, probably as I like being self sufficient but thought during the install "why didn't I just pay someone to install these for me?" lol. Also, like other have said, ceramic coat the headers. I was going to go with Swain Tech but didn't feel like waiting 3 weeks and dealing with shipping my headers back and forth. I ended up going with Tech Line Coatings Turbo X Satin Black coating from a local powder coating shop, which took only a week to finish.
Last edited by quaalude; 01-12-2018 at 04:03 PM. Reason: Fixed post
#20
Member
IIRC, the hardest side was the driver's side. What I ended up doing is unbolting the engine mount so I can jack up the engine enough to get it at an angle to finish off installing the nuts. Have fun, enjoy some drinks cause it's sure can be a PITA.
#21
MBWorld Fanatic!
Can you put headers on an M156 and have it run right without a tune? Do you already have a tune to load?
+1 on the ceramic coating too. I ceramic coat all aftermarket headers. Going from the stock log-style manifolds (which iirc are double-walled for noise) you will be increasing your under-hood temps.
+1 on the ceramic coating too. I ceramic coat all aftermarket headers. Going from the stock log-style manifolds (which iirc are double-walled for noise) you will be increasing your under-hood temps.
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Me installing these things is out of the question. Bad back, sprained left wrist and 1 day off after heavy tree service work, pretty much means there is zero chance of me doing the install. Hell I struggled with the "Magic" spacer install so this aint happening (the main reason didn't do a before/after dyno once they were on). So... Unless i find a reasonable priced installer, I am going to have to take the 6 hour trip.
#23
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I Changed my mind. Ima knock this ish out from my garage floor. ARH headers are on the way as we speak. Going to get these things ceramic coated bronze color locally. I know it will suck but I'm a patient person. Probably do it in 3 days in 3hr hits. The only thing im worried about is breaking studs and dropping the steering rack. Ive also heard you have to remove the heat shields for fitment issues. Other than that it looks pretty straight forward. If I'm overlooking something guys, let me know.
#24
Member
Just mark off the steering rack before and you’ll be fine. I’d spray some on PB Blaster on the header nuts and let it soak overnight.
Patience with waiting for them to be coated is worth it.
take your time, it’s just a long job but rewarding.
Patience with waiting for them to be coated is worth it.
take your time, it’s just a long job but rewarding.
I Changed my mind. Ima knock this ish out from my garage floor. ARH headers are on the way as we speak. Going to get these things ceramic coated bronze color locally. I know it will suck but I'm a patient person. Probably do it in 3 days in 3hr hits. The only thing im worried about is breaking studs and dropping the steering rack. Ive also heard you have to remove the heat shields for fitment issues. Other than that it looks pretty straight forward. If I'm overlooking something guys, let me know.
#25
Junior Member
I Changed my mind. Ima knock this ish out from my garage floor. ARH headers are on the way as we speak. Going to get these things ceramic coated bronze color locally. I know it will suck but I'm a patient person. Probably do it in 3 days in 3hr hits. The only thing im worried about is breaking studs and dropping the steering rack. Ive also heard you have to remove the heat shields for fitment issues. Other than that it looks pretty straight forward. If I'm overlooking something guys, let me know.
You've got it right just be patient. Removing the header bolts is an extremely tedious process due to the cramped and awkward engine bay space. I didn't want to remove my heat shields and I managed to get my headers on while keeping them on. I also dropped the steering rack just be sure to make a couple of marks to make sure you reinstall it properly. Also - make sure you know which bolt releases the steering column, there's a fixed nut /spring assembly on the column that a forum member damaged while trying to remove the column.
Other than that, there was nothing more satisfying than firing it up for the first time and thinking "holy ****". You can feel the rumble in your seats